1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is generally directed to fingerprint imaging systems.
2. Related Art
Biometrics is a science involving the analysis of biological characteristics. Biometric imaging captures a measurable characteristic of a human being for identity purposes. See, e.g., Gary Roethenbaugh, Biometrics Explained, International Computer Security Association, Inc., pp. 1–34, (1998), which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
One type of biometric imaging system is an Automatic Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS). Automatic Fingerprint Identification Systems are used for law enforcement purposes. Law enforcement personnel collect fingerprint images from criminal suspects when they are arrested. Law enforcement personnel also collect fingerprint images from crime scenes. These are known as latent prints.
Tenprint scanners are a common type of AFIS system. Tenprint scanners produce forensic-quality tenprint records of rolled and plain impression fingerprint images. Typical tenprint scanners are usually custom-made consoles. Such custom-made consoles contain built-in equipment, such as a monitor, a keyboard, a pointing device, and at least one processor, for processing and viewing the fingerprint images. The custom-made consoles are expensive.
Custom-made consoles are also burdened with high maintenance costs. When the console malfunctions, the entire system is inoperable. Tenprint scanner system owners must then place a service call to the manufacturer to have a technician come on-site and correct the problem. This can sometimes be a lengthy process. During such maintenance periods, tenprint records cannot be produced.
What is needed is a tenprint scanner system that does not depend on an expensive, built-in console for processing and viewing fingerprint images. What is further needed is a system and method for interfacing a tenprint scanner system to a personal computer (PC) for processing and viewing fingerprint images, wherein the tenprint scanner system is not dependent upon any particular personal computer make or model.